When Love Takes Over
by Strengthx3
Summary: Mai is a crazy, energetic, & adventurous girl. When she moves to Sooga Village, she is instantly Pucca's, & everyone else's, new best friend. But, could she possibly steal Garu's heart? Will him and Pucca be torn apart? Read to find out! Enjoy! :D
1. Mai Comes to Town

**When Love Takes Over**

_**Chapter 1**_

_Mai Comes to Town_

Pucca: 14

Mai: 14

Garu: 15

Ching: 14

Abyo: 15

She skipped through the village looking for the only boy that's perfect for her. Garu. She knew he was around here, hiding somewhere. She loved it when he would hide. It was fun searching for him. That's when Pucca spots him at a small snack stand. He gasps when he sees her and starts to run. Pucca giggles and chases after him, tackling him in 3 seconds. She lie on top of him.

"Garu, I found you!" she giggled as she kissed his cheek. "Please get off of me…" he asked, his face all red. "No," she responded and kissed his cheek again. Garu looked around to find anyone to help him. He saw Abyo and Ching walking by. "Hey! Garu!" shouted Abyo, "wanna train?" He jumped up and ripped his shirt. "HIYAH!" While Pucca's friends distracted her, Garu hopped up and ran to Abyo. "Sure, let's go!" he said quickly and ran away. Pucca frowned as she watched Garu run into the forest with Abyo. "Oh, don't worry Pucca. He'll come around soon," said Ching smiling.

The two girls walked into the noodle shop where they were holding a contest.

"Step right up! Step right up! See if YOU can eat the most noodles and hold the record! Winner will eat free here for one month!" shouted Linguini, "so far Santa Clause holds the record!" "Ho ho ho! Can anyone dare to eat past 23 bowls of noodles?" said the jolly old man, looking for competition. "Pucca, you should enter!" said Ching. Pucca shook her head and frowned. "They said it would be unfair since I can eat a lot…" she said. Ching sighed. "Oh well."

"What? No one DARES to challenge? I guess I'm given victory! Ho ho ho!" said Santa. "I'll do it!" perked up a small but loud voice from the back. The crowd moved aside to reveal a short girl walking towards the table of noodles. As she walked by, some people chuckled. "You think she could do it?" Pucca asked. "A girl that small? No way," responded Ching. Pucca smiled. "It's brave of her to try."

As the girl approached the table, Ho had to question her. "Um… are you sure you want to do this?" he asked.

"23 bowls of noodles is quite a lot…" said Uncle Dumpling.

"I want to do it!" she insisted, "don't underestimate me." She smirked. "Very well child. What is your name?" asked Linguini.

"I'm 14, and my name's Mai," she said confidently.

They laid out 10 bowls of noodles in front of her. She at them all to the bottom in a matter of 5 minutes. They laid 10 more bowls out, with the same result. Finally, 5 bowls were put in front of her. She wasn't done yet. She looked over at Santa, who was now biting his fingers. He wanted the prize badly. Mai wasn't going to let him win. She at the 5 bowls of noodles and took the lead. Everyone gasped and Santa slouched and pouted.

Ho raised Mai's arm, "And it looks like Mai is our new winner-"

"May I have 5 more bowls? I'm still hungry," interrupted Mai. "Whoa," said Pucca softly.

The following day, Mai walked in the noodle restaurant with a smile on her face. She carried a grey sketchbook with her that had a pink flower design on it. She sat at a table. Pucca wanted to get to know her. She walked to Mai's table.

"Welcome to Sooga's Noodle Shop! May I take your order?" she asked. Mai looked up from her sketchbook. She had large, dark brown eyes. She put the sketchbook down on the table. "Can I have a plain bowl of noodles?" she asked shyly. "Of course," said Pucca. She looked down at the sketchbook to see a girl playing with her hair.

"You draw?" she asked. "Yeah… for about 5 to 6 years," she said shyly. "That's a pretty picture. You should think about getting into the Manga business," said Pucca.

"Thank you," said Mai, "but I'm more of a musician than an artist. What are you into?" she asked. "I'm not so sure… I guess I really like taking pictures… maybe photography?" answered Pucca. Mai smiled. "That's a good career. You can make a lot of money with that." She looked at Pucca's style. "What about fashion? You wear nice outfits!" she said.

"Hmm, I never really thought of that… I do like making new designs with different clothing," said Pucca. Mai winked. "That's the spirit."

The two girls talked for about a half hour. Pucca learned that Mai was a runaway from Hokkaido. She was looking for freedom and adventure in another village.

"You should meet my friends. They're ninjas. We have different adventures everyday!" said Pucca. "Wow, ninjas? I took karate lessons, but I was never that good… I'm glad I met you Pucca!" said Mai. Pucca smiled. "Oh! I forgot all about your noodles! I'll be right back." Pucca came back in about 2 seconds and placed the noodles on the table. "You're fast," said Mai. At that moment Garu walked in with Abyo and Ching.

"Garu!" shouted Pucca running to him. "Garu braced himself. She gave him a hug that almost made him fall, but surprisingly didn't. She kissed his cheek and he growled. Pucca ran up to Ching. "Come meet Mai!" she said. "That girl that won the noodle eating contest?" she asked. Pucca nodded. They ran over to Mai's table. Ching congratulated her for winning and Mai blushed.

"I-I did that contest so I could eat free here! I don't exactly have a lot of money! I-It's not like I eat a lot! Ok… I do, but don't judge me!" she yelled while slamming her head on the table, covering it with her arms. She was starting to show her real personality… the crazy one. "It looked as if you were the quiet type…" said Ching. Mai looked up rolling her eyes. "Please. Quiet people don't know the first thing about having a real adventure," she said. She stood on the table, "I, on the other hand, want to fly! Fly into the sky, up to the stars! I want to climb the tallest mountain! I want to hike through forests and run through rivers! I want to…" and she went on for about 5 minutes, until Abyo interrupted. "You're crazy! You just wanna get killed!" he shouted. She smirked.

"I would risk my life to have an adventure," she said smiling. She got down from the table. "That's an admirable goal," said Garu. Mai smiled at him. "I don't even know any of your names…" she said, "I know Pucca. What are all your names?" They each said their names and their favorite things to do. Pucca picked up Mai's sketchbook again. "This short one is a true artist! Look at all of her drawings," she said, handing it to Ching.

"Pucca! It's not nice to call people short," said Ching, taking the sketchbook. "Like Pucca's always nice…" murmured Abyo. Garu snickered. "I'm proud I'm short. There's nothing wrong with that. If there were ever a zombie apocalypse, I would live! Live I say! I can crawl into the tiniest places, watching you all get your hearts ripped out and eaten," said Mai. Everyone stared at her. Their faces looked scared. "Sorry…" she said, softly chuckling. "Wow Mai, this stuff is beautiful! How long did it take you to learn?" asked Ching.

"About 5 years," she responded.

"Did you take lessons?"

"I learned on my own."

"That's also admirable," said Garu again, this time grinning.

"Think you could teach me?" piped up Abyo. Mai shook her head smiling. Abyo pouted. "You suck…" he said.

No one had realized that it was late. The clock struck 8:00 p.m. and everyone left saying their goodbyes. Even Garu said goodbye. Pucca kissed his cheek before he left. His face turned red and he growled walking out, like usual. "Um, Pucca, could I stay for the night? My apartment isn't finished being painted yet and it gives me the creeps…" said Mai. Pucca nodded, excited that she would be having a sleepover with her new friend.

The clock struck 11:00 p.m. as the girls crawled into bed. Pucca no longer had pictures of Garu all over the room. Mai slept on a blow up mattress on the floor.

"Hey Pucca, are you dating that guy you kissed?" Mai asked. "Pucca blushed. "Not exactly… I just really like him," she replied. Mai smiled. "I think you guys are so cute together! Awwwww it's just so adorable thinking about it! You two would be soooo cute! I should draw a picture…" said Mai. She was stopped by a yawn. She laid her head down on the pillow. "How romantic…"she murmured, and then fell asleep.

Pucca, still awake, turned over on her bed, starting to close her eyes. "I hope he'll come around soon…" she whispered softly, and fell asleep.

**Oh why hello there person! :) Yes this is my second story! I just love love love love love Pucca! So, I decided to make a decent story, or at least I hope it was decent. Sorry if it was so boring, just tried setting the conflict. D: School's almost over! I've only got one week left, so after school ends, I'm all over FanFiction. :D**

**I'll put the next chapter up soon. I'm also already working on the next chapter for Airrider. I'll see you soon my lovely readers. ;D**


	2. Home Sweet Home

**When Love Takes Over**

_**Chapter 2**_

_Home Sweet Home_

"Mai, wake up, wake up, WAKE UP!" shouted Pucca, who was jumping on Mai. It was 9:00 a.m., which was too early for Mai. She mumbled something and sat up. Pucca thinks she might've cursed. "Pucca, I'm smaller than you. I jump on you, not you jump on me," she said grinning.

"Guess what we're gonna do today? Fix the rest of your apartment! We can go shopping for tables, furniture, carpets…" said Pucca. Mai became shaky. "Uh, no. No. We don't need to do that! Um… no! It's fine! I'll… do it another day! Yes, that's what I'll do!" she stuttered. "What? No we should get Ching and do it today! We're gonna make the perfect dream house out of your apartment!" said Pucca winking.

"About my apartment… I don't exactly have one…" she said. Pucca frowned. "You lied?" she said. "I'm sorry, but I just really needed somewhere to stay… I can't find any place here!" said Mai. Pucca could tell she was upset. "Why didn't you tell me? I can find the perfect place for you!" said Pucca, "you'll love it! It's perfect." "Exactly where?" asked Mai. "Get dressed and follow me," said Pucca, "and let's pick up Ching on the way."

-x3-

"Oh Pucca, this place is perfect! Thank you so much!" squealed Mai. She jumped on Pucca, which almost made her fall. Now she knew how Garu felt. She also started hugging Ching. Pucca showed her to an area next to a river slightly into the forest. Next to the area was a hill. Mai let go of Pucca. "Hey, why don't we start building the house now?" said Ching. Both girls nodded and they started building.

About an hour passed. The whole base of the house was done, but they needed help getting the roof up. "Why don't we call those two boys from yesterday? What was it… Garu and Abi?" asked Mai. "Abyo," said Ching. "Oh right, sorry."

Pucca giggled. "That's a good idea…" she said, "I'll get them!" She ran into town to find the two boys walking. "Garu!" she yelled. He turned around to see her charging. He started running as well, but couldn't outrun her. She grabbed his arm. "What?" he groaned. "We need you and Abyo to help us put the roof on Mai's new house!" she said. "No," he said.

"Why not?"

"I don't want to."

"Help her out meanie! She's so nice! Get to know her. Why can't you really come?"

"Because we're busy."

"We are? I thought we were just taking a walk," piped up Abyo. Garu started giving him a look to shut up. Pucca smiled. She grabbed them both and in a matter of seconds, they were at the building area. "Thanks for coming guys!" said Mai, giving each of them a hug. She ran over to the roof and started to pick up one end. "Come help me!" she shouted. Everyone grabbed one end of the roof and got it onto the house. It was complete. It was a one story, large house, and pale yellow with a black roof. There was a giant window on one side that gave a great view of the river and flowers around it. The roof had solar panels on it.

"Now all we need is furniture! I have an entire list here!" said Mai as she pulled out a piece of paper folded in her pocket, "a couch, a bed, a table, a flat screen, a recording studio in the basement, stuff for the kitchen…."

"Where do you expect to get the money for all of that?" said Garu. In her other pocket, she pulled out two shiny cards. One green and the other purple. "See these cards? I stole the purple from my uncaring parents. It had about $600,000 on it. Don't worry. They're rich. They have enough. The green one has about $70,000 on it from my allowance, jobs, selling a box of unwanted jewelry and other items, and of course, many contests I've won. I've been saving this all since I was 2. I got paid for being a model for baby clothing… yuck," she said. "My goodness, that's so much money! You have to be careful no one steals it!" said Ching. Mai grabbed Pucca and Ching's hands. "I have enough to buy us all nice stuff! You two boys wanna come?" she said.

Garu shrugged. "As long as we're not going shopping for clothes," he said. Abyo ran over to them. "Yeah I'll come!" he said.

-x3-

At the end of the day, Mai practically had everything she needed, with still about $250,000 left. The card with $70,000 wasn't touched. It was used for emergencies only. Mai bought clothes for herself, and everyone else. They constantly went back and forth to drop off the large items for her house. Everyone left the last store at around 9:30 p.m. and during the time of shopping, everyone other than Pucca got to know more about Mai. Above all, Garu was the one most impressed with her free life style. They all parted from the store. Abyo offered to walk Ching. Pucca kissed Garu's cheek and hugged him. Mai thanked everyone and gave each of them a hug. The biggest one was given to Pucca. Garu was the last one she hugged, and surprisingly, he slightly hugged her back. No one noticed, except for Pucca.

**GASP dun dun duuuuuun! Is it starting? Already? Sorry this chapter was so short. The first two chapters were for setting the mood and conflict and that stuff. Next chapter will be where it all begins! Stay tuned my fellow readers. :) **


	3. Suspicions

**When Love Takes Over**

_**Chapter 3**_

_Suspicions_

It's been about 5 days since Mai's house was completed. 5 days since Garu slightly hugged her. He never hugged anyone. Never. Pucca walked down the street, passing by many shops and stands. She had a lot on her mind. Could Mai really take Garu away, even though she knows that Pucca likes him? Pucca shook her head. _No, _she thought,_ Mai wouldn't do that. She's my friend. _She heard a voice and turned her head to see Garu walking. _Why not make small conversation with him instead of jumping on him? _Pucca thought. She smiled and walked over.

But as she got closer, she realized he was talking to a figure beside him. It was Mai. She was tugging on his shirt, jumping up and down. Pucca's smile faded away. She stopped her walking and turned the other way. Her expression turned blank. She became even more confused. Pucca heard a few words from Mai, but she couldn't make them out. She was too far already.

Mai kept tugging on Garu's shirt, almost shouting at him. "Come on, admit it!" she yelled. "Admit what?" he said.

"What we were just talking about before!"

"I wasn't paying attention."

She punched is shoulder. "Baka! Admit you like Pucca!"

"You're crazy!"

"Thank you. And you know you do! Admit you do! Admit it!"

"No!"

Mai started to growl. She watched as Garu bought an apple from a stand. As he was about to eat it, she took it and bit into it. He stood there, shocked that anyone would have courage to do that to a ninja. She started walking to her house.

"I'm still going along with my plan. Don't worry, you'll be caught up in it so fast," she said smirking. Garu rolled his eyes and started walking the other way. He quickly stopped to realize what she said. "Wait, what plan? What are you going to do?" he asked. "Well, right now I'm going home to practice my piano. Come on over when you finally realize that you like her. Then I'll tell you," she said, still smirking. Garu stood there and thought about what she said as she walked away. He then growled.

_What am I thinking about? This is stupid, she's just trying to get to my head. I don't like Pucca. Maybe as a friend but that's it… I don't like Pucca… _he kept repeating in his head, but the more he did, the more false it sounded. He started walking over to the noodle shop being that his apple was stolen. He smirked. _Mai's pretty insane, but she has good confidence…_

-x3-

Pucca didn't feel well. She had a small headache, but there was more aching in her heart. _I can't believe it… could it be? I need to talk to Ching…_

Unfortunately, she had to keep on serving. She only had about a half hour until the shopped closed and not too many people were coming in. She sat at a table, watching a couple from far eat their noodles and laugh. They looked like they love each other so much. They left the shop holding hands.

Then Garu walked in. Pucca's heart skipped a beat. She got nervous. _Why am I so nervous? Should I talk to him about it? No, I'll pretend nothing happened. _She walked to the table he sat at. He noticed her blank expression. He was shocked. "What's wrong with you?" he asked. "I have a headache…" she said softly. He shrugged. "That must be one headache to make you like this."

Everything went weird. She wouldn't say anything to him. She was too afraid. Then she finally mustered up the courage to ask him. "Hey Garu… do you like Mai?" she asked slowly. He looked up from his bowl, arching an eyebrow. "Huh?" was all he could say. Pucca repeated herself, and watched as a pale blush rose on his cheeks. That made Pucca feel worse. "No! Why would I like her? Why would you even ask me this?" he said quickly.

Pucca shrugged. "The other day, you didn't really want to help build the house… so I thought you didn't like her," she said softly. Garu noticed her head was facing down a little bit. He sighed and knew what was going on. He stood up and patted her hair, looking the other way, still blushing. "You don't really need to worry about anything…" he said and walked out. She stood there, somewhat dazed. She felt happier. She still had her doubts though.

-x3-

Mai knocked on Pucca's bedroom door the next morning. It was 11:00 a.m. and Pucca was brushing her hair. She opened the door to see Mai sniffing, small tears running down her eyes. "Oh my gosh, what happened?" yelled Pucca hugging her. "I…I…" was all she could say.

"You?"

"I… I was…"

"Tell me what happened!"

"I… had nothing to watch… so I… I started watching… Elfen Lied again…!"

Pucca felt dumbfounded. "That's why you're crying?" she yelled. "I cry every time I watch it! It's deep and meaningful and I love it!" Mai shouted back. Pucca sighed. She never watched it since she heard how bloody it was.

They went out to a music store and bought a few piano books. They were by Mai's favorite composer. His name was Yiruma. Apparently his music changed you. Pucca laughed at that. They ran into Abyo, Ching, and Garu. When his eyes met Pucca's, they looked away from each other, a small blush appearing on their cheeks. Mai noticed and smiled. _All according to plan, _she thought, smirking. "Hey Mai, check this out!" said Abyo jumping into the air. He ripped his shirt off. "HIYAAAAAH!"

"Hey, no one wants to see your man boobs, sicko!" shouted Mai. Ching burst out in laughter. Abyo became embarrassed. Garu and Pucca snapped back into reality. He noticed the books in Mai's hands and grabbed one of them. That set her off. "GIVE IT BACK! If you dent that book, I will beat you down! I swear to god Garu, I will kill you!" she screamed. Pucca was holding her back from charging.

"You listen to Yiruma?" asked Garu. Mai stopped. "He's a great composer, isn't her?" she said. He nodded. They started talking about their favorite songs by him. Then they went into her learning how to play. Pucca stood there, once again confused. _Garu said I have nothing to worry about, but how can I not worry when I see this? _Pucca walked over to Ching. "Come over later, I need to talk to you," she whispered in her ear. Ching nodded, already knowing what it would be about.

"Pucca, I'm gonna go home and start learning these books, okay?" said Mai. Garu gave the book back. Pucca nodded and waved goodbye. Garu walked with her and Abyo since they were going the same way. Pucca walked home with Ching. She heard Garu say something. "Make sure you call me over when you learn a song. I want to hear it," he said. "Okay!" said Mai. That struck Pucca's heart. She almost started to cry, feeling her eyes water up. Ching didn't notice. _Why? _Thought Pucca, still walking silently with Ching, _how come he pays more attention to her? He just met her…! No! I will not think this way! Mai's my friend. I can trust her, right?_

Mai walked into her house. She set the books down on her piano. She sighed and sat down on the couch. "It's all going according to plan!" she said, smiling. She had told only Ching her plan. Ching thought it was a perfect idea, but she warned Mai that it could reverse and hit her right in the face. Mai was going to take that chance. It would work as long as Garu didn't fall for her.

**Well, there you have it folks! Hope you enjoyed it! School ends Friday, and you know what that means! By the way, Yiruma is a real guy. He composes piano music. It really does change you. It's beautiful stuff and he deserves more people to know about him. Please search him up. Here's a preview for what will happen soon: **

She gasped at the sight, tears starting to run down her eyes. _I knew it… _she thought. _I knew it was all just a lie. Everything! _She ran home, trying to get the image out of her head. _How could this be? _She said, still crying. Her tears were never going to end.

**Just so you know, I'm not one of those idiots that creates a fan character, hoping it would be real and take Pucca's place. (Like Cho Hee, I mean, wtf -.-) I greatly greatly greatly greatly support GaruxPucca. Actually, I strongly support all anime couples… ANYWAYS until next time! :D**

**Oh by the way, could you click on this link down here? I make drawings, animations and stuff on the Dsi and I'm hoping to get more viewers. Thank you!**

**.com/5777C0E01E215205DSi/**


	4. Unexpected Request

**When Love Takes Over**

_**Chapter 4**_

_Unexpected Request_

**Just so you know, Mai's plan is to get Pucca and Garu together. NOT separated. Just wanted to say in case people got confuzzled. :D**

It was just Garu and Mai walking home in the forest. They had already dropped Abyo off at his house. They just kept talking about the piano artist they both loved so much. Finally, Mai's house was visible. "I'll see you later Garu!" she said and was about to run off until he grabbed her arm. She turned around with a confused look on her face. "Wait, I want to ask you something," he said. "What?" she asked.

"What exactly are you planning?" he asked. Mai just giggled. "Oh you'll see," she said, "just don't worry about anything. Don't mind me! I'm just having fun here." Garu sighed. "Bye!" she said. He grabbed her arm again. "Wait, there's something else I wanted to ask you," he said. "I said don't worry about anything! I'm not telling you," she said. "No, it's something else I wanted to ask you. Something different," he said. "What?" she asked, getting annoyed. "Well…"

-x3-

"Oh come on Pucca, I think you're over thinking this!" said Ching. They were in Pucca's room. Pucca sighed and lifted her head up. "No. Look at all the facts. My first love will soon be gone!" she shouted, slamming her face into a pillow. Ching felt bad. Especially since she knew what Mai was up to. She wasn't aloud to tell Pucca though. That annoyed her the most.

"Just ask Garu if he likes her!" said Ching. Pucca lifted her face with a bright smile. "That's a great idea! You should ask him!" she said.

"Me? Why?"

"Because I'm too shy."

"I don't know…"

"Please?"

"Pucca…

"Pleeeaaasseee?"

"You should deal with this yourself. I don't want to get involved-"

"PLEEEEEEAAAAAAAASSEEEEEEEE?"

"FINE, but you owe me!"

Pucca jumped up and squealed. "Go now! Now!" she said. Ching sighed and left. Pucca sat down on her bed. Her smile stayed, but her eyes turned sad. "I hope it's not true…" she said.

The next day, Ching was walking through town looking for Garu. She didn't want to do it yesterday. _I think he said he was going to be with Abyo today… what else is new? _She thought. She walked around for about two minutes and stopped. _I can't walk like this… I need a jump rope._ Ching walked into the local department store and went into the toys section. She found the perfect jump rope. As she walked to the cashier, she passed by the clothes isle and saw Mai looking at ugly clothing. She actually looked angry. Ching walked over. "Mai, what are you doing?" she asked. Mai quickly turned her head. She was frowning and looked mad. Ching took a step back. "Oh hi! You know, how come I'm always wrong? And of all people, why did your prediction have to be right? My life sucks!" she yelled. Ching had a confused look on her face.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked. Mai calmed down and made a deep and heavy sigh. "Can we talk in private?" she asked. Ching nodded. Mai dropped the clothing and walked with Ching to buy the jump rope. They went to the park after and sat on a bench, since the park was sort of empty that day. Mai sighed as she sat down. "Okay, what's wrong?" Ching asked. "Okay, so you know how the village festival is in two days?" asked Mai. Ching nodded. She was going with her friends, and hopefully there would be a chance to get closer to Abyo. Mai started to speak again, her tone raising, getting angrier. "So of course, stupid Garu comes up to me on the way home yesterday and asks _me _to go with him! I mean, come on, what the hell?" she shouted. Ching gasped. Mai's face was red, not from anger though. She was blushing. "I don't like him, Ching! I really don't! You have to believe me! You have to!" Ching stayed silent. She didn't know what to say. "And you said yes?" she asked.

"I had no choice! He kept saying please and asking me! Then he started going on about how he doesn't like many girls. I want to punch him in the face so badly Ching!"

"Well… all I know is that your plan completely failed. You need to fix this. The only problem is, Pucca can't know anything about it," said Ching, "if she finds out, whether you're her friend or not, she will kill you. She's stronger than she looks. Mai put her head down in shame. "I don't know what to do…" she mumbled. Ching patted her back. "Is that why you were looking for ugly clothing?" she asked. "I figured if I wore crap, he would reject me," said Mai. Ching tried to think of a solution, but didn't come up with anything good. "I guess the only way to solve this is to tell Garu you don't want to go with him," said Ching.

Mai lifted her head up. "Yeah, but then he won't go with Pucca…" she said. Ching shrugged. "During the festival, we'll try to get them together on some ride," she said. She started pushing Mai a little bit. "Now go, find Garu and tell him," she said. Mai nodded and got up.

"Hi guys!" said Pucca, popping out of nowhere. Mai was startled and jumped up. "Oh uh, HEY Pucca! Ha ha, yeah. I was um, just about to leave! So, I'll catch you guys later!" she said and quickly ran off. Pucca became confused. "What's her problem?" she asked Ching. Ching shrugged. Pucca sat down next to her. "So, did you ask him?" asked Pucca eagerly. Ching didn't know what to say. She became nervous. "Um… he didn't say anything. He just shook his head and walked away," she said. Pucca smiled a little bit. "Well, at least he didn't blush, right?" she asked. Ching shrugged and said "A little bit." Pucca shrugged. "I guess that's not so bad," she said. Ching sighed. "Yeah…"

-x3-

Mai ran into the village panting. She wanted to tell Garu as fast as possible. She looked around everywhere. He was nowhere in sight. She finally saw him walking out of the dojo with Abyo. She sighed in relief and ran over to him. Garu saw her and smiled. So did Abyo. He told Abyo everything.

"Oh hey Mai- OW!" yelled Abyo, as he was pushed out of the way by her. "Garu, I need to talk to you," she said quickly, He nodded and walked somewhere private with her. It was around the corner of a shop, which led to a dead end. "Is there something wrong?" he asked. _Everything. My life. UGH _she thought. She took in a deep breath. "I… I can't go to the festival with you," she said. Garu frowned. "Well, I wanna go with you all, but not as going on a date with you… sorry," she finished. "Why not?" he asked. Mai shrugged.

Garu's frown then turned into a smile. "I know why. You don't want Pucca to find out, right?" he said. Mai opened her mouth to say something, but Garu kept talking. "She doesn't have to know right there. She could know later. Even so, I don't care because I don't like her, I like you," he said, starting to blush. Mai started to blush too, but she was getting angry. "No no no! That's not why! I'm sorry Garu, but I can't go as your date! I'm sorry," she said and ran off. _I can't believe this! He likes me? How can he like me? _As she turned the corner, she saw a girl with blue, tied up hair leaning against the wall with a dog in her hand. She glared at Mai. Mai just kept running though. _Could she have heard the conversation? _She thought.

Garu was frozen there. He became upset and started walking home with his head down. He didn't even see Ring Ring standing there. When he left, Ring Ring had an evil smile on her face. She heard everything. "Very interesting. Very very interesting, isn't that right Yumi?" she said to her dog. Yumi barked. Ring Ring took a mirror out. "I think Pucca should hear about this…" she said.

**GASP. Dun dun duuuuuuuuuun! Oh the suspense! I hope I left you guys off with yet another cliffhanger. NEXT CHAPTER:**

**Nothing to Worry About?**

**AFTER THAT:**

**The Festival**

**Until next time my fellow readers. ;)**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	5. Nothing To Worry About?

**When Love Takes Over**

_**Chapter 5**_

_Nothing To Worry About?_

**Mai's P.O.V**

"Did you do it?" asked Ching. I sighed and nodded. We were sitting in the same spot in the park. One long day passed since I told Garu that I couldn't go to the festival with him.

"What was his reaction?" she asked.

"He thought it was because I was afraid of Pucca finding out."  
>"Can't blame him."<p>

"I haven't seen him since… it's gonna be so hard to look at his face!"

"This is your fault."

"No its not!"

"I'm kidding. Everything is fine as long as Pucca doesn't find out."

I nodded and slouched. I was really depressed. Garu didn't like Pucca, so Pucca couldn't be happy. I have to do something at the festival tomorrow though. No matter what. If I hadn't run away, none of this would have ever happened. It's all my fault. At times like this, I wish _he _was here to talk to…

"Speaking of Pucca, here she comes," said Ching. I snapped out of my imagination and shot up to see Pucca skipping and waving towards us. "Hi guys! Are we going?" she said cheerfully. Ching nodded. "Where are we going?" I asked. "The dojo, to watch Garu and Abyo spar," said Ching winking at me. my heart dropped. She thought this was funny, didn't she? Well, I deserve it. But Ching's sick mind makes it worse for me.

We walked out of the park and started heading over to the dojo. During the way, I tried to contain my goofy blush that might appear when we get there. If it showed, Pucca will definitely know something is up. Grrr! Why did this have to happen? I'm so stupid. I should just make an excuse that I have to leave the village. "…ai… Mai!" shouted Pucca. I came back to reality again and looked at Pucca. "Hm? Sorry, what?" I asked. Pucca smiled. "I said I cant wait for the festival tomorrow! When we get to the dojo, I'm gonna ask Garu to go with me. You think that's a good idea?" she asked. I could feel my face become pale. What if he says no? It'll be my fault! I had to lie though. "Yeah, it would be so cute if you two go on a date! Hauu~" was all I could say. Pucca's smiled widened.

We arrived at the doors of the dojo. Pucca opened it and shouted Garu's name. When she found him, she tackled him and gave him a peck on the cheek. Let me tell you, when I saw Garu's face, he sure looked pissed. That was it. No other emotion was detected. I gulped and slowly walked in. Our eyes met for a moment, but I quickly looked for something else. And what did I use for a distraction? I slapped Ching's arm. Why am I so stupid? She just stared at me. "There… was a fly on your arm. Bugs freak me out so I wanted to kill it!" I said chuckling. "Oh well… thanks?" she said.

We all sat down on the side of the training grounds and watched them. Well, at least Ching and Pucca did. I tried to keep my eyes off of them, mainly Garu.

About and hour later, they finished sparring. It's about time. I was getting bored. Pucca got up and skipped to Garu, who had barely said a word the whole hour. Pucca opened her mouth to speak and a large blush appeared on her face. Oh no, she's gonna do it. "Um, Garu… would you go to the festival with me?" she said real sweetly. "No," he said coldly. Yup. He was still pissed. I felt a stinging pain in my heart when he didn't even say it to me. How could he? He just rejected the nicest, and prettiest girl I ever met. Pucca's blush faded. She frowned. "But… but why?" she asked. He started to walk towards the door. "I'm not going," he said. What? Why? Was this because I rejected him? How stupid! Abyo suddenly ran in front of Garu. "Oh no you don't! You promised you would come and you know why!" he said, quickly looking at Ching and then back to Garu.

Garu sighed. "Fine, I'll go, but not with you Pucca," he said. I can't believe this! He didn't even look sorry for what he just said. What the hell? I looked at Pucca. Her eyes started to water up. "Garu…" she said. "Listen, don't start crying just because I don't want to go with you!" he yelled angrily. He wasn't even looking at her. Ching gasped. I stood there, voices inside my head saying this was my fault. He looked at me and I gave him a deathly glare. "Dude, what's your problem? You shouldn't talk to her like that just because your mad," said Abyo. "Whatever," said Garu, finally taking his eyes off of me. I clenched my fists and headed for the door. "I'll see you guys later," I said and ran off.

**3****rd**** Person Narrator**

Pucca stood there in shock. She could feel the tears forming. His cold words stung. She wondered why though. That's when it hit her. It had something to do with Mai. That's why she ran out. Everyone was still standing there, all quiet. Pucca didn't want it to be this way. She walked up to Garu and gave him a hug. He quickly pushed her and walked out the door. "Garu!" yelled Ching. Abyo ran out chasing after him. Pucca broke down in tears. Ching ran over to her and hugged her. "It's okay Pucca, I'm sure he wasn't mad at you," she said. "Yes, he is…" sobbed Pucca.

"Hey Garu!" shouted Abyo, chasing after Garu. "What's wrong with you? You just broke her heart! Go back inside and apologize!" Garu turned around and shook his head. "It's her fault! Mai would've gone with me, but she's afraid of what Pucca will think. It's Pucca's fault," he said and ran off into the woods. "Garu! Where are you going?" shouted Abyo. Garu was already gone though.

Ching was still hugging Pucca. She finally calmed down, her tears starting to stop. She stood up. "I… I need to go talk to Mai," she said. And started to walk out. "Wait Pucca," said Ching putting a hand on her shoulder, "She's really mad right now. Are you sure?" she asked. Pucca nodded and left. Ching was left there alone until Abyo walked in. "Hey, where's Pucca going? Is she okay?" he asked. Ching nodded and sighed. Abyo smiled. "Wanna go get some ice cream or something?" "Sure," said Ching. At least she was doing something to take everything off of her mind for a bit.

-x3-

**Mai's P.O.V**

I'm gonna kill him! I just wanna hurt him so badly. What the hell's his problem? I wonder what happened after I left? That's it. I can't stay here anymore. Besides, I miss _him…_ I need to see him again.

There was a knock on my door. It's probably Ching. "Hold on!" I shouted and walked to the door. I opened it. "Ching, I'm gonna kill-" Garu? Why is he here? What should I do? He only stared at me, but not with an angry face. It was more like he was ashamed. I only growled and slammed the door on his face. Stupid ninja. "Mai, let me in," he said. "Go to hell, jerk!" I yelled. I don't remember being this angry before. Was that too mean? Oh well, I don't care. He started banging on the door. "You knock that door down and I'll shoot you!" I shouted. I don't have a gun, but does a paintball gun count?

I heard his footsteps starting to fade. Where was he going? I knew he wasn't going to give up that easily. Shit, the window! I ran into my living room and saw him sitting on the couch. Yup, it figures. I had to leave the window open.

"Get out!" I yelled. "Mai…" he said. Looks like he wasn't _that _angry anymore. "I mean it!" I wish I was Vegeta or something, you know, blast him into dust. That would be nice. He stood up. Why did he have to be so tall? I had to look up to him. "Why don't you want to go with me?" he asked. Again? Ugh. "I told you why. I don't want to go with you as a date!"

"But why? Who cares what Pucca thinks."

"I care! She's my best friend."

"So?"

"Listen to me Garu. Read my lips. I DON'T LIKE YOU."

Well that must've been heart breaking. So what?

We stood there silent for what felt like an hour. But no, it was only five seconds until Garu did the unbelievable. You guessed it. He kissed me.

**Hurray for suspense! Would you like to review? I think you should :3**

**NEXT CHAPTAH: **

**The Festival**

**DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUN :D**

**Until next time.**

**And don't ever forget.**

**Make Pasta, Not War~**

**- TheRebelx3**


	6. The Festival

**When Love Takes Over**

_**Chapter 6**_

_The Festival_

**HELLO THERE PERSON. I THINK YOU SHOULD REVIEW THIS WONDERFUL CHAPTER. NOW START READING. **

**Pucca's P.O.V**

Grr. I'm lost. I ran into the forest path to Mai's house, but I got lost. I know I am, physically and mentally. I can't find Mai's house. I haven't been there in forever so I forgot. I sighed thinking that there may be no chance between Garu and I. No! I shook my head. I have to stop thinking that way! He doesn't like Mai. He doesn't like Mai. He doesn't like Mai. He doesn't-

Sudden rustles of bushed around me made me jump. I hid behind a tree and saw Garu. Why was he here? This wasn't the way to his house. Unless…

I decided to follow him. If he is going to Mai's house, maybe I can see what's up between them. No wait, that's spying. It's wrong to do that to my best friend. But I need to know.

I finally saw Mai's house. I knew it. Garu knocked on the door. I stood far away, but not far enough so I wouldn't see.

There was a muffled voice shouting from inside the house. Crap, I can't hear anything. Garu suddenly ran around to the other side of the house. I quickly ran to the other side to find a few bushes to hide behind. The sound of the river behind made it impossible to hear. Garu climbed through the large window of her house. Was he breaking in? It was hard to tell through the leaves, but I had to stay hidden no matter what.

I couldn't see well, but I saw another figure walk into the room. It's probably Mai. I slightly heard yelling voices then everything went silent. I couldn't take the suspension anymore. I poked my head above the bushes and saw Mai pushing Garu away hard. He almost fell. "GET OUT!" she screamed. Garu clenched his fists and walked out.

Whoa, what just happened? It doesn't look like Mai wants to talk right now. I sighed. I guess I should go home. The festival is tomorrow… should I even go? At least give it a try I guess…

**Mai's P.O.V**

I don't know what he was thinking. Did he honestly believe that kissing me would change my mind? Hell no! I'm even more pissed right now. The moment our lips touched, I pushed him and screamed at him to get out. That bastard.

I looked at the clock. It was 8. I guess I should get ready. I just want to get tomorrow over with. Ugh, this sucks so much. Why can't I enjoy life?

**3****rd**** Person Narrator**

It was a long night for everybody. Mai and Garu couldn't sleep from what happened between them. Garu's harsh words kept repeating over and over in Pucca's head. Abyo and Ching were too excited for how they would spend time together the next day.

And then there was Tobe. He decided to let Garu off for the past week and take him by surprise at the festival. "Ninja's, gather around!" he yelled at his minions. They gathered in a circle around him. Tobe held up a piece of paper. "Now here, I have the ultimate plan to defeat Garu! Here is how it will all be set up…"

-x3-

Mai played anime music as she got ready for the festival. She wanted to look her best because of the phone call she received earlier. _"I'm coming over to visit you. I'll meet you at the festival!" _She giggled and smiled at that thought.

She threw on her favorite style: White T-Shirt with a red overall skirt, with a red beret. She started to sing along and twirl in front of the mirror. She looked at her clock. "I'm supposed to meet Pucca at her place in five minutes…" she said. She squealed, put on her black boots and ran out. She stopped on her tracks. _Hmmmm… maybe I should take the scooter… _she thought and turned her head to her green scooter, but decided to walk.

Garu didn't care about what her wore. The only reason he was going was because Abyo was forcing him to. _Maybe I should apologize to Pucca for yesterday… am I seriously falling for her?_ He quickly shook his head and growled. This was all Mai's fault. He was over her about an hour after what happened yesterday. He couldn't even believe he kissed her. Why would he do that? _I'm so stupid…_

Ching and Pucca were standing in front of the mirror at Pucca's house looking at their clothing. The usual. Ching was the most excited. "Oh, I just can't wait Pucca! I think Abyo's gonna ask me out tonight!" she squealed. Pucca gave a fake smile. "That's great! I hope it happens," she said. What was going to happen between her and Garu? Or… what if something happened between Garu and Mai? Pucca tried to shake those thoughts out of her head. She knew her and Garu were meant to be together.

There was a knock one the door and Mai walked in. "Hello ello~! Tonight's gonna be such a wonderful night!" she sand and twirled. Pucca's jaw dropped a little bit after watching what happened yesterday. Why was she so happy?

"Well well well, look who's a happy camper. Did something happen that we should know about?" teased Ching. Mai blushed and smiled. "Oh, just a phone call… you'll see," she said. Pucca's stomach dropped. Did Garu call her? She was starting to worry.

Garu and Abyo showed up five minutes later. Him and Pucca spoke in private outside. "Pucca… I'm sorry about yesterday…" he said slowly. She put her hands on her hips and frowned. "That was really rude and mean. You made me cry. What was wrong with you?" she asked. He looked away. "I don't want to talk about it," he said. Pucca smiled and grabbed his arm. "Well then, what are we still doing here? Let's go!" she said. Garu smiled and decided to let her be happy.

Ching and Mai skipped ahead of everyone else in an arm lock. Mai was still staying silent with Garu. Nobody seemed to notice. Not even Pucca, who was happy holding Garu's arm. Everyone stepped up to the gates of the park. They each gave their tickets to Santa, who was running the ticket stand. "Ho ho ho! Have fun kids!" he chimed. Mai dashed inside and started to look around for something… or someone.

"Watcha looking for Mai?" asked Abyo. Mai didn't want to say anything about who was coming. "Um… I'm looking to see if they have a large roller coaster… over there!" she said and pointed to a large ride in the back of the park, "let's go on that first!"

Everyone nodded and ran over to the large roller coaster. _Meet me by the large roller coaster. _Mai's smile grew and she ran faster. She stopped on her tracks and looked around. No one she recognized was around. She sighed. Pucca grabbed her arm and pulled her on the line, which was 2 minutes long. Pucca sat with Garu, Abyo sat with Ching, and Mai sat alone.

After that, they went on the Ferris wheel. Mai threatened to push Abyo out. He dared her so she started pushing his head out. He gave in, whining and struggling. Everyone was laughing. Pucca was finally so happy.

-x3-

An hour passed by. Everyone was now playing games. Mai was upset that she didn't see who she was looking for. They were at the hammer and bell game. Abyo ripped off his shirt and wacked the target, sending it straight up, almost hitting the bell. The worker was still kind enough to give Abyo a small teddy bear, which he gave to Ching. Garu went up and almost knocked the bell off the stand. He was given a large teddy bear. He hesitated for a moment, but gave it to Pucca. She blushed and hugged him. Mai smiled again. She looked up at the sky. _You may not be here, but at least Pucca's happy again… _she thought.

"Oh my, what do we have here?" said a sly voice. Everyone turned to see Ring Ring and frowned, except Mai. She didn't know who Ring Ring was. Then she gasped. _Crap, that's the girl that might've heard me and Garu… well I don't know for a fact she did. _Ring Ring made a fake gasp. "Oh Garu! You player, why are you hugging Pucca?" she said. Mai's heart sunk. _She knows. _She wanted to run, but she was paralyzed. "What are you talking about?" said Garu. "Oh don't play dumb Garu, you and that girl over there know what I'm talking about. You can tell just by the look on her face," she said and pointed at Mai. She stood there frozen. She could feel her face pale up. Ching just looked down.

"Go away Ring Ring," said Pucca. She let go of Garu's arm and stepped up. "Why Pucca? I'm sure you would want to hear this. I mean, don't you want to know what's been going on between that girl and Garu?" she asked. Pucca stopped and stared at Ring Ring. "What?" she asked.

Ring Ring smirked evily. "You didn't know? Garu here…" "Go away Ring Ring," snapped Garu. Ring Ring still continued. "… Garu had originally asked that girl over there to the festival. He even admitted his feelings to her," she said. Pucca was silent. She looked at Garu who had his head turned the other way, and then at Mai. Mai's whole face was pale, and she had her head down. Pucca turned back to Ring Ring.

"Liar!" she snapped. Ring Ring just laughed. "Ha! Do you honestly think I'm lying? Why don't you ask Ching over there? She knew all about it!" she said and pointed at Ching. Ching gasped. Pucca looked at her and everyone else. "Mai… Garu… is this… true?" she asked, hoping for a no. Mai started to tremble. "You… were never supposed to know…" said Garu. Pucca gasped and took a step back. Ring Ring laughed and walked away. "Have fun you guys!" she said. Pucca started to cry. They both lied to her. Mai lifted her head up and took a step towards.

"Pucca…" she started to say, until there was and explosion in the middle of them all. Smoke piled up everywhere. Garu pulled Pucca close to his chest, as did Abyo with Ching. "Hello Garu," said an evil voice from behind him. Garu turned to find Tobe behind him through the dust and smoke. Before Garu could act, Tobe punched him hard in the gut, making Garu fall to the ground coughing. "Garu!" shouted Pucca. Her instincts for caring about Garu couldn't keep her angry for the moment. "Quick, grab the girl my minions!" yelled Tobe. His ninja's grabbed a girl, but not Pucca. They grabbed Mai instead. Before they could even look, they stuffed Mai in a bag and carried her away. She was screaming for help. Tobe laughed evily and disappeared. The smoke faded away. Everyone in the area was coughing. "Is everyone okay?" yelled Ching.

Pucca looked around and gasped. "Wait, where's Mai?" Everyone looked around but Mai was nowhere to be seen. They called her name, but there was no response. Mai was kidnapped.

**Hello! How are you today? Good? How was this chapter? Good? Excellent! You know what that means? You should review! :D**

**Please? I hardly have any and it sucks D:**

**Stay tuned for next time!**

**Make Pasta, Not War~**

**- TheRebelx3**


	7. UPDATE

**VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE**

**Ello~ everyone! :D**

**I am so sorry I haven't been updating fast. I didn't think freshman year would have THIS much work -_-" **

**Please check my profile for updates. It is very important and I am typing as fast as I can. I love everyone's support and please keep reviewing. I hope you guys won't forget about me!**

**I'm too lazy and busy to make a single update for every story, so here's a list.**

**UPDATES:**

**Airrider**

**Won't update until I at least get one review on the latest chapter.**

**When Love Takes Over**

**GAH I haven't updated in months! Gomenasai! I kind of have writers block, but no worries, I'm working on the next chapter so bear with me!**

**Stay Beside Me**

**Should I continue? I'm not sure JapanxTaiwan isn't very loved… I have it planned. If it gets really popular (I doubt) I have another story which will be a sequel.**

**How It All Began**

**I will NOT abandon this story whatsoever! I promise, I have everything planned out it's gonna be really long until the end, so please just be patient! Everything with Daisy and stuff will be explained. Yes, Brandon will return, but for a short time. And I thought it'd be nice to add a little love to the DK Crew ;D**

**Super Hetalia Galaxy**

**I'm glad you people like such a retarded idea I came up with LOL xD It will be continued. Fourth chapter almost done. Remember, RussiaxAmerica, FrUK, and ItalyxGermany.**

**Warming a Cold Heart**

**Will continue as well! Was originally a one-shot but it became too long… A little RussiaxAmerica in there.**

**SOON TO COME:**

**Are you a Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni fan? Want a continue to it? (NOT KIRA HOLY SHIT THAT SEASON SCARES ME EVEN MORE THAN BEFORE)**

**The Protection Arc**

**Almost done with first chapter. A new Goddess comes in to protect Rika from a new evil. Takes place a month after they defeated Takano. **

**Now if you want a REALLY good Higurashi fanfiction, then just scroll on over to my favorites and click on ****The Champion Trilogy ****by The Minister of Silly Walks. GREAT STORY. It's so amazing… I just can't explain it but please read it. It's just… amazing. Like I said, I can't explain it.**

**So yeah, don't give up on me. I'll try to update as fast as possible. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWS. LOVE YOU ALL :D**


	8. Kidnapped

**When Love Takes Over**

_**Chapter 7**_

_Kidnapped_

**GUYS THE RAINBOW POPPED OUT OF MY BRAIN. I finally got my ideas back! Also, I found a way to update sooner. *Mwah* I love my iPod~! :D Please forgive me for taking so long TT^TT **

**Please review? I haven't heard from anyone in a while so I hope you guys will review~!**

**Um, want a warning? Okay. **

**Warning: Blood xD Yum~**

"Are you sure she's not here?" asked Abyo as the last bits of smoke cleared away. "Look around. She's not here! Tobe and his gang must've taken her!" said Ching. She watched Pucca slowly help Garu off the ground. "Damn, who would've known they would sneak up on us like that..." Abyo muttered. "It doesn't matter... Mai's in trouble and we need to... save her right now," Garu said slowly.

"In trouble?" said a soft, worried voice from behind. They turned around but saw no one there.

"That was weird..." said Ching.

Pucca had a worried look on her face. "Mai... She's probably scared to death!" she said. "Tobe and his minions aren't _that_ much of a big deal," said Garu. "Come on dude, they must've gotten smarter and stronger. I mean, this is the first time their sneak attacks actually worked. Tobe even took you down. That means something," said Abyo with a sigh.

"Guys, can we just stop talking and think of a plan? We need to know where Mai is and when we'll rescue her!" said Pucca impatiently. They all started looking at each other with silence, trying to brainstorm ideas.

"She was most likely taken to Tobi's secret headquarters in the jungle, by the volcano," said Ching. "I think they were attempting to get Pucca instead of Mai as well," added Garu. Pucca looked at him confusingly. "What makes you think that?" she asked. Ching snapped her fingers. "You're right. Think about it: Tobe never knew who Mai was. He wouldn't kidnap her just because we're all friends. If so, he would just kidnap me. But he meant to get Pucca because Tobe knows that Garu would come and save Pucca," she said. Garu coughed and a small blush came to his face, though no one noticed.

Pucca rolled her eyes. "I can save myself from _Tobe_ of all people," she said. Garu smiled. "Okay. So tomorrow morning, we'll go and save her. We need rest for tonight, so let's go home and be prepared for tomorrow," he said. Pucca had a brave grin on her face and put a hand in the center everyone. "Come on guys, we can take those selfless ninjas," she said. Ching nodded and put her hand in the middle with Pucca. Abyo and even Garu couldn't help but join. They threw their hands in the air and walked home to prepare for their adventure tomorrow.

"Pucca..." said Garu, looking at her concerned. She gave a soft smile. "I'm fine... I was upset before, but right now we need to focus on saving our best friend." He grinned and surprisingly gave her a small hug. "Garu..." she muttered, blushing. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said, quickly disappearing into the forest. "Hey Pucca, let's sleep over at your place so we can pack some stuff, okay?" said Ching. She snapped out of her daze and looked at Ching. "Huh? Oh yeah sure!" she said with a smile.

-x3-

**Mai's POV**

Dammit dammit dammit! This is bad. This is really bad. I bet Mom and Dad found me... But how? There's no possible way... Unless they got the answer out of Satoshi... No! He would never betray me like that. Get that thought out of your head, Mai!

Smooth tactic using a smoke bomb. Did they really have to spend money on smoke bombs just to take me back home, or as I call it, prison? Dammit...

Wait, I'm stopping. I felt my heart stop. It wasn't easy breathing in this bag, but it'll be harder to breath for the rest of my life once Dad's through with me. I'll try to make a run for it as soon as I'm out. I'll most likely fail and be tackled by guards, but it's worth a shot.

The large bag opened up and I saw a dim light. A few hands reached in and grabbed my arm. I was pulled out and into a temple-like dojo, and to hear evil laughter. "Mwahaha! There's no point in trying to escape Pucca!" said a man, whose back was facing me. Was he a ninja? He had a weird uniform, as well as his assistants. "Um, boss..." said one of the men holding me. I laughed. "Pucca? You were stupid enough to grab me instead of Pucca?" I said. He turned around and looked at me confusingly. I gasped at the x-shaped scar on his face. "Wha- HEY! Who the hell are you!" he shouted, pointing at me. I rolled my eyes. "You grabbed the wrong person, idiot! And the real question is, who the hell are /you/!" I said. He growled. "How dare you... Well, no matter. I am the great Tobe, and Garu and his little friends will probably come to rescue you in time. With you as the bait, I will have my revenge... Take her to the cell!" he barked.

I growled. "Let me go! Tobe, whoever you are, leave me and my friends alone-" A cold dagger was held to my throat. He was fast. "Don't speak another word, or your friends will come and rescue a dead body," I felt my body become limp and weak. I was so scared right now. These guys weren't joking around. I'm still not sure though if I'd rather be caught by Mom and Dad, or here.

I was thrown into a concrete room with only a blanket in it, all the way under the temple. "Don't even bother yelling, because nothing can be heard from the outside," said one of the guards to me. I didn't respond in any way. I was just so scared I couldn't move. There was a medium sized hole all the way towards the top of the wall. I was too short to reach it. Even so, unless I was nine feet, I still wouldn't reach it. So nothing can be heard from in here, huh? I sat in the farthest corner from the door and wrapped the pale blue blanket around me.

"Nee kimi wa haoboeteru? Oka no kinoshita. Chiisa na kibako niireta. Ano natsu no omoide…" I sang. I couldn't help it. Music Box was one of my favorite songs. I sighed. If what Tobe said was true, then I hope everyone will soon come and kick his scrawny little ass.

-x3-

_SLICE!_

_The sound of a sword going through someone's body pierced everyone's ears, and Abyo had fallen to the ground. "ABYO!" screamed Ching. Pucca watched in horror as Ching ran over to the bloody mess of what used to be Abyo. Mai was tied to a pole, watching everything from a few feet away. She shut her eyes and tried turning her head away. Tobe laughed, standing next her._

_Suddenly, one of Tobe's ninjas popped up behind Ching. Her chicken shouted, causing her to turn around. She was punched in the face and sent flying to the wall, making a giant crack._

"_Ching!" shouted Pucca, trying to get through the ninjas circling her. But it was useless. She was surrounded, and her best friend lay on the ground, almost unconscious. Garu was busy as well, handling off about fifteen ninjas. "What the hell? Since when did they get so strong!" he yelled as he kicked one of them off._

_Tobe chuckled and walked over to Ching. He pulled out a silver dagger and held it to her neck. Pucca gasped and her eyes filled with rage. "TOBE! DON'T YOU DARE-"_

_SLICE!_

"_Three down, and two more to go…" chuckled Tobe. "Three…?" both her and Garu said at the same time. Tobe smirked and pointed behind him to see Mai's corpse hanging from the roped on the pole. Pucca screamed and finished off the five ninjas surrounding her. She immediately charged after Tobe, but was held back by Garu. "No, Pucca! He'll kill you!" he shouted._

_She screamed again, tears streaming down her cheek. "LET. ME. GO!" she hollered. "No! I don't want you to get hurt! I'll handle this, Pucca!" he said, trying to get through to her. Tobe laughed. "No, Garu. Your girlfriend is right. You should stay out of this…" he said, waving his hand._

_A ninja had snuck up behind Garu and kicked him in his stomach, while about five others held back Pucca. Tobe laughed and walked up to Garu, a sword in hand. "This is what I've been waiting so long for! Goodbye, Garu."_

_He lifted his sword and jabbed it straight through Garu's stomach with all of his power. Garu coughed up blood as Tobe slowly lifted the sword up again and held it to his neck. Garu took a last glance at Pucca. "…ucca…" he muttered his last words. "P…P-Pucca… P-Pucca…P…Pucca…"_

…

"Pucca… PUCCA!" shouted Ching, shaking Pucca. Her eyes shot open and she sat up in bed, screaming. "Hey, stop screaming! Are you okay?" asked Ching. She gasped at how pale Pucca was. She was sweating and shaking. "What happened? Did you have a nightmare?" she asked again. Pucca took in many short breaths and finally came back to her senses. The sun was shining through the window. Garu and Abyo were on their way over. Tears filled her eyes as she hurled herself at Ching. "It's okay, it was just a dream…" said Ching, patting her friends back and hugging her.

"But it seemed so real… What… what if it actually comes true?" she sobbed. Pucca looked at Ching and explained everything that happened in her dream. Even Ching paled at the horrifying story, but she gave a reassuring smile. "I-it's okay," she said, "Nothing like that will happen. I promise." She held her pinky out to Pucca. She smiled and made a pinky promise with her best friend. Many thoughts worried Pucca's mind though. Never had she experienced a nightmare like _that_before.

**Bitchin! This only took me two days to write! :D Normally it took me weeks since I'm backed up on other fanfictions~! So this new tactic is working out well so expect updates much sooner. I won't take that long anymore!  
>Please review? PLEASE? Actually, I won't update until I get at least <em>one<em>review. **

**Bye niiii~! :D**

**Btw Music Box is an amazing song by Miku Hatsune. It gave me such nostalgia and the PV made me cry, but I still loved it so check it out! **

**P.S. Check out my DeviantART and other fanfictions for more awesomeness ;D**

**Make Pasta, Not War~**

**-TheRebelx3**


	9. Rescuing Mai

**When Love Takes Over**

_**Chapter 8**_

_Rescuing Mai_

**Declaimer: I don't own Pucca.**

**GUYS, I AM SO SORRY. First off, I started reading more fanfiction. Then I started going crazy with writing my Pokémon fanfiction. Now I'm writing a book for Soul Eater fanfiction. Meanwhile, I still have to update my Mario fanfiction... I'm so sorry TT-TT These are actually the last few chapters of this story, so be prepared. :D ON WITH LE CHAPTER.**

**Also, I majorly improved the way I write. Like, starting a new paragraph whenever someone new talks and that stuff.**

"Are we all set?" asked Garu, taking a sip of water before leaving Pucca's home.

Abyo jumped into the air, making a few kicks and showing off. "Yeah, we can take these stupid ninjas! You all ready?" he laughed.

Pucca sighed, but nodded. That was some wicked nightmare she had. Not only that, but she also is getting the feeling that they're being watched.

"Hey, do you guys feel like we're being watched?" asked Abyo. Everyone looked in surprise. Abyo never noticed _anything_.

Garu nodded. "Yeah, kind of... But I wouldn't worry. If it was one of Tobe's minions, we would know," he said.

"But who else would be watching us?" asked Pucca. There was a moment of silence, the only noise coming from the forest.

"Come on guys, let's focus. Mai needs us right now," said Ching. They all nodded and charged into the forest.

Soft footsteps followed from behind...

-x3-

Mai slowly opened her eyes to the small amount of sunlight coming into the room. Her blanket wrapped around her like a caterpillar's chrysalis. She sighed and looked down. "I guess they're not coming... Why would they?" she muttered to herself. She messed up everything. Garu fell for her and his relationship with Pucca was ruined. Pucca probably hates her as well.

And now she was trapped. She may even die. Mai slowly reached into her pocket and pulled out a small keychain with Yoshi on it. A small smile was brought to her face. _I always keep this with me..._ she thought.

Her ears perked up when she heard noises from the door. She pressed her ears against it.

"Sir, we've spotted them crossing the Yugong River about five minutes ago. Most likely, they're on their way here," said one ninja.

"Ha ha! So they're deciding to show their faces here? I will have my revenge now..." she heard Tobe say.

Fast footsteps were heard coming closer. "Sir! Sir! One of our ninjas were found unconscious in the depths of the forest!" another ninja shouted.

"What? By who?"

"It wasn't one of Garu's friends. They were too far. It was someone else, but he quickly disappeared and we couldn't get a good look at him."

Tobe most likely had just punched a wall. "This isn't making sense... No matter. When Garu and his friends show up, make sure to keep a good look out for anyone suspicious," he said.

"Yes sir!" The sound of a few feet trailed off and the door opened. "What're you doing, girl?" scolded one of the ninjas. She looked up to him and began to tremble. He grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her, but she bit his hand extremely hard, drawing blood. He pulled back and yelled out in pain and she made a run for it. "She's escaping!" he shouted to the other ninjas.

_Just a few more feet...!_ she thought as she saw the door. A dagger was quickly thrown just past her head and stuck right next to where her hand was on the door handle. "Do you think this is a game, girl?" chuckled Tobe. Mai looked down to see quite a chunk of her long dark hair were cut off.

Tobe pulled a few more daggers out. "So... Do you still want to run?" he asked. Mai slowly turned back around and was grabbed by a few ninjas. "Tie her up!" barked Tobe.

-x3-

"God dammit, I knew we'd get lost! Why did we listen to you, Abyo?" shouted Pucca. They stood in front of the fourth boulder so far, which was a dead end. "Calm down Pucca..." said Ching softly.

"No, I won't! Mai could be hurt and we're wasting too much time! Where's the damn map?" demanded Pucca, holding her hand out to Garu. He sighed and gave it to her.

"Damn, it's not my fault. I thought this would be a shortcut..." said Abyo.

"That's what you thought the last three times! Look... We made it past the Yugong River, so now we have to make our way through Bamboo Forest. Then there will be a path leading us past Fujikki Lake to Utaka Volcano," she pointed out.

Abyo sighed and walked over to Ching. "Come on, let's go!" said Pucca, starting to run but Garu grabbed her.

"Wait, we need to plan this out. Sit down," he said.

"No... No no no! We need to go. Let's talk about this on the way!" she said hastily, but Garu lifted her up and sat her down on a rock. Pucca crossed her arms with a huff.

"I said _sit_," he said, talking to her as if she were a child. She pouted and turned her head towards Ching.

"I don't think it would be the best idea to charge in," said Ching, "we may be easily out numbered. So, we should try to find a way inside, but secretly."

Garu nodded in agreement. "I've been there a few times in the past. I'm not sure if it changed, but it's a tower, not too tall. There are some windows to get in through. Most likely the place will be guarded, so we have to watch our backs," he said.

"Then there's the situation with finding Mai," added Abyo and continued, "she'll probably be in a cage or a cell. Or what if she's in a secret room?"

Garu rolled his eyes and said, "She won't be in a secret room. The building is a dojo, not a haunted house with secret passages."

Pucca stood up. "Alright, so we'll try to find a window and sneak in. Then we'll be completely stealthy and search from room to room. Now let's go!" she hastily said and dashed off, with the crowd following behind.

Pucca and Abyo ran through Bamboo Forest, cutting off every single bamboo tree in their way with punches and kicks. Garu stared at Pucca in amazement as he jumped from tree to tree all the way above them, along with Ching. Her chicken squawked and held onto her hair for its life.

They finally saw more sunlight and saw Fujikki Lake, as well as the trail that led to the volcano. Ching and Abyo ran ahead, while Garu stayed behind with Pucca.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as they ran. She just kept her eyes on the trail.

"Like I want to kill Tobe," she replied.

He smirked and chuckled. "Pure and honest ninjas don't kill their enemy. They have mercy... Depending on the situation," he said.

She turned her head and smirked back. "Who said I'm a ninja?"

His smirk suddenly turned into a soft smile, making her blush. "Hey, whatever happens, just be careful, okay?" he said. She looked back ahead and nodded.

"BRACE YOURSELF!" shouted Ching, her and Abyo making a sharp stop. About six of Tobe's minions appeared in front of them and began attacking. Ching's chicken squawked as she pulled her sword out, knocking one of the ninjas to the ground.

Abyo ripped his shirt off. "HIYAH! Let's get this started- AGH!" he was cut of by being tackled. Garu ran in and began to join the fight.

After five minutes of fighting with not much progress, Pucca huffed and screamed, "I'M NOT GOING TO FIGHT HERE FOREVER WHILE MAI'S IN TROUBLE!" She charged herself at the six ninjas and knocked them all out, her adrenaline rushing. "Whoa, Pucca..." gasped Garu.

Abyo looked down at the unconscious ninja. "Man, they've gotten stronger..." he muttered. The ninja suddenly opened his eyes, startling Abyo.

"H-heh... If you think w-we're strong... We're just the r-rookies..." he stuttered and fell back into unconsciousness.

Ching paled. "R-rookies?" she said.

Pucca rolled her eyes. "They're all rookies. I'm sure we'll be fine..." she said, her voice showing a hint of nervousness. "Let's go!"

They all charged to the path again, this time even faster. They ran into a couple of more ninjas, but easily took them out. Garu smirked at the pleasure of throwing them into trees.

"Guys, look!" exclaimed Ching, pointing up. They saw the top part of Utaka Volcano.

"Follow me," whispered Garu. He led them past a few boulders and deep into the forest, but closer to the volcano. They were so deep that the sunlight was beginning to be blocked out completely. Now Pucca understood why they never came here often.

Finally, they came to an old dojo. They quickly, but quietly, hid behind a few boulders. There were five ninjas guarding the doors.

"We need to find and alternative entrance..." whispered Abyo.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," said Garu sarcastically.

"You're welcome, Lieutenant Sarcasm."

"Shh!" shushed Ching.

Pucca growled. "Guys, focus! Ching and I will go around the back to see if there's a window. You two will go around the side," she whispered.

They nodded and split up. Ching was smart to hide her chicken in her jacket, because he made a small squawk from the speed and was almost heard by the ninjas.

Pucca slowly and quietly climbed onto Ching's shoulders and peered through a window. She gasped and saw Mai tied up to a pole, just like in her dream.

Pucca jumped down from Ching's shoulders. "We... We gotta do something... This looks _exactly_ like me dream..." she said, shivering.

Ching gave her a small hug. "Don't worry, Pucca. I promise you this will be different. It's just a coincidence," she said before running back to the boys. "We found an open window that's not too high. Shall we?" asked Garu. The girls nodded and began to follow them. Garu jumped up high and landed right on the edge. He carefully looked in to make sure nobody was inside. When it was safe, he signaled Pucca to grab his hand and climb up.

**Pucca's POV**

Once we were all inside, we stealthily began to make our way to the first floor. Thankfully, there were enough shadows to keep us hiding for a moment. It took about five minutes for us to make it to the second floor. For some reason, a lot of the guards began to run up to the top floor. We shrugged it off and finally found Mai tied onto the pole on the first floor. She was facing the door, as if expecting us to come in, which meant they knew we were near. Four minions were guarding her, but their uniforms were blue instead of black. We made sure to hide behind the railing and in the shadows.

"That's strange..." Garu whispered. "Does that indicate that they're stronger?"

I shrugged. "Should we take them out?" I asked.

"It would signal the other guards though..." whispered Ching.

Garu sighed. "Looks like we need another plan... Okay, Abyo, you'll distract them while Pucca and I get Mai. Ching will guard us incase of more ninjas," he said.

Abyo gave a thumbs up. "Got it," he said. He jumped out from the shadows and right in front of them. "HIYAH! Hey you stupid ninjas! It's time for a daily dose of Abyo!" he shouted.

I face palmed. "He's so stupid..." I muttered. Ching giggled.

Two of the four ninjas sprung forward to tackle him, but Abyo jumped out of the way in time. Meanwhile, Garu and I snuck our way past the other two and began to untie the ropes holding Mai. A large smile was planted on her face when she saw us.

"Hey, she's escaping!" called one of the ninjas before we could finish untying Mai. He leapt forward and kicked Ching in the face, sending her into a wall.

"Ching!" I gasped. I roared in anger and punched the guy in the face, leaving him with a bloody nose. I saw Garu take out the other one and I smirked, helping Ching stand up.

Just when I thought things were getting better though, it wasn't.

The two other ninjas were holding Abyo down, punching him one after another. Soon, more of Tobe's minions were coming after us, and soon enough, Tobe arrived himself. Him and another blue minion kicked us away from Mai and we fell to the ground.

"Pucca!" Mai screamed. I rubbed my head and sat up. We were absolutely surrounded by ninjas and definitely outnumbered.

Abyo was thrown right against the wall. He let out a yelp and sat up with a groan, just to be kicked in the stomach again. I gasped, recognizing this scene in my dream. The blue ninja pulled out a long katana and held it above Abyo with a dark chuckle. "Goodnight, weakling..." he said.

"NO!" I screamed. He swung the katana and began to bring it down to Abyo's head...

**HAHA, cliff hanger :D Ftw~ Yeah, I've been meaning to do this for a while now ;D Again, I'm so sorry and hopefully I can finish this story soon... I think there's only two chapters left. Probably. Thanks to Unknown for reviewing and reminding me again! I'll see you guys soon~**

**Rolling Rainbow Star~**

**-TheRebelx3**


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